The General Condition of the Flooring

If your hardwood floors only show surface wear (such as dullness, light scratches, scuffs, or color irregularities), then refinishing them may be all that’s needed to bring back their luster and beauty. However, if they’re deeply scratched, gouged, warped, or damaged, it may be time to replace them.

Previous Refinishing

You can only refinish hardwood floors so often. As a rule of thumb, standard wood planks 3/4 inches thick can be sanded down no more than 3-6 times during their life span before they can no longer support refinishing. If you’ve had your floors for a while and you’ve already refinished them three or more times, you might need to replace them this time.

The Type of Flooring

Some types of wood flooring are more durable than others and can withstand more wear and tear. If you have a high-quality, durable type of hardwood like oak or hickory, it’s likely that refinishing will be all that’s needed to restore its beauty. However, if you have a less durable type of wood like pine, replacement may be the better option.

The Age and History of the Floors

It’s not a hard-and-fast rule, but the older your hardwood floors are, the more likely it is that they’ll need to be replaced rather than refinished. That’s because over time, the wood may begin to deteriorate at the cellular level. This is especially true if the floors haven’t been properly maintained over the years and have become dry, cracked, or warped. Some wood floors that have been consistently cared for can be refinished after 20, 30, or even as long as 100 years. But truthfully, this isn’t always the case, especially in older homes. If you buy an old home with its original flooring, for example, you should have a professional check the floors to decide whether they can support refinishing or whether they need to be replaced.

Your Personal Preferences

Ultimately, the decision of whether to refinish or replace your hardwood floors is a personal one. If you’re attached to the look and feel of your floors and they’re in fairly good condition, refinishing may be the best option. However, if you’re ready for a whole new look or if you’re doing a full remodel of your home, your current floors might not serve your purposes anymore, and you may want to replace them for a completely fresh start.

Not sure whether to refinish or replace your wood floors? The experts at Renaissance can help. We’ve been installing and refinishing high-quality floors throughout Green Country for more than 30 years. Contact us here to schedule a free evaluation and a quote.

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In most cases, the answer is no–but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take a few precautions. While wood floors will expand and contract naturally in response to changes in temperature and humidity, excessive levels can sometimes do damage. Let’s discuss this in a bit more detail and talk about what you can do to safeguard your hardwood floors this summer.

“It’s Not the Heat, It’s the Humidity.”

When it comes to hardwood floors, this saying couldn’t be more true. While wood floors can generally withstand the summer heat, it’s actually the high humidity that can do the most harm. Not only does wood absorb moisture from the air, but the warmer temperatures actually enable the wood to expand and absorb even more moisture. As the wood planks expand, they start pressing against one another, which causes them to flex. This is what often causes the symptoms like warping, cupping, squeaky floorboards, etc.

Now, in most cases, this behavior is normal, and as the temperature and humidity subside, your floors will relax and settle back into place. But in cases where they are exposed to extreme heat and humidity for an extended period, the boards may start to crack and even begin to come loose from the subfloor–and this is damage that won’t resolve on its own. You’ll have to get a hardwood flooring expert to come out and do repairs.

Tips to Protect Your Wood Floors in Summer

The good news is there are steps you can take to reduce the risk that your hardwood floors will take damage from heat and humidity. Keep the following tips in mind:

• Keep wood floors out of direct sunlight, if possible. Not only can the UV rays fade the wood over time, but direct sunshine adds more heat and makes the wood capable of absorbing more moisture. Consider keeping blinds/drapes closed on hot days.
• Maintain comfortable indoor temperatures. Keep the air conditioner running to maintain a consistent temperature–even when you’re not home. In most cases, this will be enough to keep excess humidity at bay since cooler air stores less moisture. If you go away on vacation, keep the A/C on; if you want to save electricity, at least make sure the thermostat is set below 75 degrees.
• Consider investing in a dehumidifier to help regulate the humidity levels in your home. For maximum protection for your floors, a dehumidifier will help maintain proper moisture levels in the air inside when the humidity soars outside. (For best results, try to keep humidity levels around 55 percent.)

If the summer heat and humidity do manage to cause cracking or permanent cupping to your hardwood floors, it’s important to leave repairs to the professionals to ensure the job is done right. Renaissance Hardwood Floors can give you a complimentary evaluation of the condition of your floors and let you know what needs to happen to restore them to their original condition—or if you wish, we can install a whole new floor for you. To learn more about how we can help, contact us today.

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One of the first decisions you’ll make when choosing hardwood flooring for your home—and one that stumps many homeowners—is choosing between light and dark hardwood flooring. Is one more preferable than the other? Is one more stylish? More durable? The best answer really depends on a number of factors, including room size, your décor and even your personal style. That said, if you’re undecided, answering the following questions should give you some sense of direction.

Do You Have Pets and/or Children?

Pets and small children can definitely have an effect on the long-term look of your floors. Pet toenail scratches show up more easily on dark hardwoods; so do scratches from scooted chairs or toys being dragged across the floor. If you’ve got little ones or furry family members living at home, you might want to go with a lighter shade to mask those inevitable scratch marks. If you do prefer a darker shade, we might recommend going with a hand scraped or distressed finish where scratch marks blend in more easily.

How Often Do You Clean?

Believe it or not, family housecleaning patterns can play a role in determining the shade wood floor that’s best for you. If you keep a neat and tidy home and you don’t mind cleaning your wood floors frequently, you might do very well with a rich, dark shade of hardwood. On the other hand, if you prefer a lower-maintenance home, you’ll probably enjoy a lighter color of flooring. The reason? Dark floors show every speck of dust and dirt. Lighter floors don’t.

What Does “Home” Feel Like?

This may seem like an abstract question (and it is), but what feelings come to you when you think about home? Do you envision a place that is warm and cozy, or bright and airy? Is it a quiet retreat or a gathering place for friends and family? The color of your hardwood flooring will play a large part in making your home feel like home to you. Generally speaking, dark, rich hardwood floors can make small rooms feel cozy and larger rooms feel more elegant. Lighter hardwoods tend to reflect the light and make rooms feel brighter, airy and more spacious. (One common home selling strategy is to put lighter floors into the bedrooms to make them feel larger.) Choose a shade of hardwood that you think will create the best sense of home as it feels to you.

What’s in Style Right Now? (And Does It Matter?)

Some style-conscious homeowners want a look that makes their home feel “current” in line with today’s design trends. So which is more in fashion right now—light or dark hardwood flooring? The answer is both. In 2019, designers are leaning toward the extremes of light and dark flooring, while the middle “brown” shades are less in vogue for the moment. That said, unless this is an investment property, you’re the one who is going to have to live with these floors after your fashion-conscious friends go home. Thus, we recommend choosing a shade that is more in line with your personal tastes. After all, wood flooring tends to be timeless, no matter which shade you choose. If you happen to make a style choice in wood flooring that isn’t “cutting edge” today, the good news is it probably will be in a few years.

Whether you prefer light or dark hardwood flooring, Renaissance Hardwood Floors provides unmatched craftsmanship in making sure those floors will stand the test of time. For a free estimate in Tulsa, Jenks, Glenpool, Bixby and throughout Green Country, give us a call at 918-298-4477.

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